Modeling of cracking in concrete structures: smeared and discrete crack approach

Abstract

The aim of this work is to simulate the cracking in concrete structures by means of two approaches: smeared crack and discrete approaches. Two case studies were analyzed: a beam with ordinary reinforcement and a dapped-end beam modeled by three-dimensional finite elements. Firstly, the smeared crack approach was used to locate the cracking zone in both case studies. Subsequently, to simulate the crack width, the discrete crack approach was used by applying a cohesive zone model making use of a function that represents the crack opening. The obtained results were validated with experimental results. This investigation provides the efficiency and application of the two approaches to estimate crack appearance and width for reinforced concrete structures.